-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Under Christmas trees around the world , parcels of underpants and bundles of briefs are waiting to be opened -- perhaps with a tinge of dismay -- by the men in your life .

Underwear is a big hitter on the traditional holiday gift list and now soccer stars are muscling into the market .

Colombian World Cup star James Rodriguez became the latest footballer to tackle branded underwear , launching his J10 collection for Bronzini last month and posing semi-naked to show off the goods on offer .

The 23-year-old was following the lead of his Portuguese Real Madrid teammate Cristiano Ronaldo , whose CR7 underwear label recently celebrated its one-year anniversary .

David Beckham 's pants hit high streets in close to 40 countries when the former LA Galaxy and Manchester United maestro teamed up with Swedish fashion store H&M in 2012 .

Even though he is approaching 40 -- that 's 17 years older than undies rival Rodriguez -- Beckham stripped off again this summer to model his wares .

But why do footballers choose to branch out their brand in the most intimate way ?

`` Christmas comes round once a year but footballers are in the shop window continually , '' Steve Martin , the global CEO for brand agency M&C Saatchi Sport and Entertainment , told CNN .

`` Underwear is an every day purchase and wearing the right underwear has seen it become something of a lifestyle item .

`` For some of the major players , it 's a natural extension of their individual brand .

`` They do n't need the money . It 's not about greed but it is about making the most of their true value over the short period of their career . ''

Martin helps manage the branding and marketing for Ronaldo 's CR7 range , which he says is available in almost 100 countries -- its main markets are in southern Europe , Asia and South America -- as well as online .

Read more : Ronaldo immortalized in bronze statue

Ronaldo 's luxury trunks cost $ 36 a pair with the briefs priced at $ 30 but he also stocks a basic line where trunks are $ 30 and briefs $ 17 .

`` The core audience -LSB- for the CR7 range -RSB- is football fans who aspire to Ronaldo 's look and image , '' Martin adds . `` The age range is mainly 18-24 year olds and slightly older .

`` The beauty of Ronaldo is that he cuts across quite a big demographic . ''

The aesthetic allure of Ronaldo , Rodriguez and Beckham is an undeniable factor in why their underwear packs a punch .

Beckham stopped traffic as an underwear model for Emporio Armani before collaborating with H&M while the perfectly manicured Ronaldo oozes style on and off the pitch .

Rodriguez may still be baby faced but he is already winning awards for his looks , voted the world 's sexiest man in 2014 by Spain 's `` People '' magazine .

When this handsome trio launched their underwear collections , they not only appealed to football fans but to their gift buying wives , girlfriends and mothers too .

`` I 'm sure H&M chose David Beckham because he 's a very attractive , fit fellow , '' Seth Stevenson , New York based senior writer for Slate , told CNN .

`` They also chose him because he has appeal in a lot of different places . He 's famous in Asia , he 's well known in the U.S. and he 's married to Victoria Beckham .

`` He 's got some profile all over the world and they 've got stores all over the world .

`` Celebrities are a popular advertising gambit because people are interested in celebrities and like to do what they do . ''

The pioneer of the celebrity underwear market was , however , not a footballer but Swedish tennis ace Bjorn Borg .

After his sudden retirement from the game in 1983 at the age of just 26 , the 11-time grand slam singles champion served up another winner by launching his eponymous underwear brand in 1984 .

The company now sells around five million items of underwear across its male and female ranges each year and is stocked in 20 global markets .

`` The Bjorn Borg name is a very strong part of this success , '' says the company 's marketing and communications manager Jonas Lindberg Nyvang .

`` He 's still involved in that he comes to the office , he 's informed about what we do and he 's still part of the process . ''

Borg 's dashing good looks , like those of Beckham , Ronaldo and Rodriguez , certainly helped him cut a dash in the underwear market but sustaining a successful brand over 30 years relies on more than superficial appeal .

Sports stars arguably make natural underwear manufacturers because they understand more than most about the importance of comfort on the go .

`` If you have the right underwear you feel more confidence on the court or off the court , '' explains Nyvang . `` It 's important for sporting performance .

`` At Bjorn Borg we focus on the perfect fit and we are also very fashion conscious . We put out underwear that makes people feel more active and attractive . ''

But before you dream about wrapping up a Nigel de Jong thong or a pair of Neymar knickers for your loved ones , bear in mind it takes a certain type of star to make money from undies .

`` You are talking about one-offs here , '' says Martin . `` There are probably only a handful of global sports stars that can attempt something like this .

`` For every Ronaldo there are thousands and thousands and thousands of footballers who do n't make a thousandth of what he does . ''

Stevenson agrees that true sporting icons stand a better chance of successfully creating a product line that is not directly connected to their core business -- but that even then there could be pit falls .

@highlight

Football stars are cashing in on Christmas market for branded underwear

@highlight

World Cup star James Rodriguez is the latest to launch an underwear brand

@highlight

Global icons Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham also have their own underwear collections

@highlight

Bjorn Borg brand now sells five million units a year after the tennis star pioneered the idea